MIDI PedalBoard Basics
MIDI, pronounced “middy”,
was created in 1983 so electronic musical instruments could talk to and control
each other. For a long time, it was
used for synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines. However, in the last few years MIDI has caught fire with guitar
players who now control entire pedalboards, synchronize multiple effects, and
switch amp channels with single buttons.
Keyboard players use MIDI
for all sort of functions, including playing back sequences of notes and
triggering samples. Guitar players only
really care about 3 or 4 things that MIDI can do:
1) Switching effects on and off
2) Calling up presets on MIDI-enabled effects
3) Synchronizing time-based effects
4) Using MIDI expression pedals on effects
All these things are done
using a MIDI Controller.
MIDI Controllers
The basic function of a MIDI
Controller is to tell effects and switchers what program number to use. The controller does this by sending a simple
“Program Change” when a button is pressed.
Basic MIDI Controllers don’t
require any programming, and include Tech 21 MIDI
Mouse and Diezel
Columbus.
Other MIDI Controllers are
more versatile and use an expression pedal to send “Control Changes” for effect
parameters like volume. Examples
include the VooDoo Lab Ground
Control and Rocktron MIDI
Mate.
Still others like Molten
Voltage’s Master Control send MIDI Clock to synchronize time-based effects.
On a well-designed
pedalboard, a MIDI Controller is the only thing you’ll stomp.
MIDI Switchers
MIDI switchers switch effect
loops on and off so you don’t need to tap-dance between songs. Normally a “Program Change” from a MIDI
Controller causes a MIDI Switcher to simultaneously engage or bypass different
effect loops. Examples of MIDI
Switchers include Lehle D.Loop,
G-Lab 4x Loop, and Molten
Voltage Node.
Pro-tip .:. Nearly all MIDI Switchers use
mechanical relays to bypass effects, so you won’t compromise your tone.
Some MIDI controllers, such
as TheGigRig G2 have a
number of effects loops built in.
One huge advantage of MIDI switchers
over stand-alone switching units is that your rig becomes expandable. An unlimited number of MIDI Switchers can
be linked together.
What this also means is that
your pedalboard can be modular. Imagine
having a primary pedalboard with your “go to gear” for gigs, as well as a
“studio only” side-board for your vintage pedals. When you get back to the studio, a single MIDI cable re-connects
your rarities to the main rig.
MIDI Amps and Effects
A growing number of guitar
effects use MIDI Program Changes to call up settings - as if you’re magically
turning the knobs.
Distortion pedals like the TC Electronic Nova Drive
and Source
Audio’s Soundblox Pro Multiwave Distortion have been showing up on
professional pedalboards for a few years.
Even amp builders are
embracing MIDI. The Marshall
JVM410H, Carvin VL300,
EVH 5150 III,
and Kemper
Profiler amps all switch channels and effects using MIDI.
Pro-tip .:. Non-MIDI amps can use products like the VooDoo Lab Control
Switcher to automate channel switching.
MIDI Clock
Beyond switching effects on
and off, MIDI’s greatest pedalboard benefit comes from synchronization of
time-based effects such as delays (Moog
MF-104M Analog Delay), phasers (Empress Phaser), tremolos
(BOSS
SL-20 Slicer), loopers (Pigtronix Infinity
Looper), arpeggiators (Eventide
PitchFactor), modulators (Strymon
Mobius), and sequencers (Z-vex
Super Seek-Wah).
These days players expect a
“tap tempo” button on any pedal that can use it. The benefit of tapping in time with the drummer to sync up your
delay is obvious.
MIDI Clock takes tap tempo
convenience to a whole new level.
Pedals that sync to MIDI
Clock lock onto the incoming signal and adjust their tempo.
What’s more, MIDI Clock
allows you to seamlessly sync multiple effects with a single
button. Even if you don’t think
you need your phaser in sync with your delay, having a single “tap tempo”
button for all your gear lets you focus on making music instead of remembering
which pedal to press.
Finally, MIDI Clock pedals
like Molten
Voltage’s Tempode can remember the tempo for each program.
Five years ago, only a
handful of guitar effects could sync to MIDI Clock. There are now 59 effects by 22 top manufacturers that can!
What’s more, classic effects
with external “tap” input jacks, including the BOSS PH-3
Phase Shifter, Moog
MuRF, JHS
Panther Delay, and 26 others can now sync to MIDI Clock using Molten
Voltage’s CTL-Sync.
Connecting
MIDI cables have a round,
5-pin “DIN” connector at each end. They
are sold at most music stores. You can
connect either end of the cable to a MIDI jack.
There are 3 types of MIDI
Jacks:
1) MIDI OUT - sends information out to MIDI-enabled effects
2) MIDI IN - this is where the MIDI information enters the
effect or switcher
3) MIDI
THRU - copies and repeats MIDI IN information - used to daisy-chain MIDI devices
Pro-tip .:. Often an effect’s MIDI OUT jack can be
set to act as a MIDI THRU jack
Connect the MIDI OUT or THRU
of one device to the MIDI IN of the next device.
If you need to send MIDI
information to additional devices, you can use a MIDI Splitter such as the G-Lab 3x Splitter M3S or Molten
Voltage’s MIDI Splitty.
MIDI Glory!
MIDI guitar effects have
finally entered the mainstream.
Manufacturers are racing to release MIDI-enabled pedals, and players are
quickly automating their pedalboards and simplifying their systems.
Stay tuned, because the
future just showed up!
